The United Kingdom’s (UK) top envoy in the Eastern Caribbean is assuring that the UK’s relationship with the region will not be adversely affected by its pending exit from the European Union (EU).
In fact, British High Commissioner Janet Douglas said a trade deal was currently being worked on which is similar to that which currently exists.
The UK has long been a major trading partner of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). However, following the June 2016 vote by British nationals in support of the UK exiting the EU, there have been mounting fears among some regional officials that this could negatively impact trade relations between CARICOM and Britain.
“To address that we have started discussions with Eastern Caribbean countries through the CARIFORUM [CARICOM and the Dominican Republic] Secretariat so that on the day after we leave the EU, so after March 31, 2019, there is as seamless as possible, a transition from the existing trade arrangements to the new trade arrangements,” Douglas explained during a recent courtesy call on Barbados TODAY’s Chief Executive Officer and Editor-In-Chief Kaymar Jordan.
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